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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24621061">Hurricane Thomas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Mistfall/pseuds/Blue_Mistfall'>Blue_Mistfall</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gem YouTuber AU [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All egos and sides are gems, Angel Sides, Story within a Story, Storytelling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:28:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24621061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Mistfall/pseuds/Blue_Mistfall</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Host participates in a storytelling session and tells a story about a seemingly perfect city. What could have caused four angels to arrive there? And what are they looking for?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gem YouTuber AU [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hurricane Thomas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Most of the present believed that attending the storytelling session was not the best idea, especially when the teller appeared. Some parents even decided to keep closer to their children, for he could easily fit into the canon of a horror movie. It was truly marvelous how one single detail – okay, two – could make such an impression. The teller was a man in a light brown trench coat, whose jet-black hair with a single golden lock was smoothly combed backwards, showing the huge forehead adorned with something similar to a bronze tiara or a headband, which had an ochre-colored gem in the very middle, shaped like a vertical eye. Just the right shape, because the man’s eyes were hidden behind a white blindfold – if they even were there, because the eye sockets seemed to be too deep.</p>
<p>   “The Host would like to warn you that this is not going to be any ordinary storytelling,” he announced. “He has made sure that you will see everything by yourself.”</p>
<p>   It was true, for before he began, his companion – the tuxedo-wearing man – began playing the piano. The first tune was quite slow, but alive at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   <em>Once upon a time, there was a city. A great city where there was place for both rich and poor, although its inhabitants believed that the time when there is no difference between them was coming soon. The first thing it was associated with was skyscrapers. Those tall constructions of glass and metal, which would make anybody wish to get to their top and look at the world from there. However, they were mostly in the very middle, while the buildings for those with different tastes were located in the cardinal directions.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>   The eastern part was for those who adored privacy, therefore it consisted of small individual houses with half-secluded yards. The inhabitants of this district valued their private space, but did not forget to make friends with their neighbors. And it especially referred to children, who did not care about symbolic fences between their places.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The northern part was for those who valued memory. It consisted of the oldest buildings around, which mostly had three or four floors and were placed so close to each other that their side walls practically fused. It even was prohibited to perform capital repairs of their fronts, because it would damage the image.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The western part was for those who took fun seriously. Anyone who got here for the first time thought that they got in a vortex of light, voices and music, for it was a true maze of all kinds of entertainment, from roller coasters to festivals. Most believed that the night time was the best to arrive there, for this district could be seen at even greater distance that during the daytime.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Finally, the southern part was for those who liked peace and quiet. It was close to a seaside, therefore it also made an impression of a perfectly romantic place. The very atmosphere of this district was calm, so even the travelers who stopped here would do their best not to disturb it on purpose.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The inhabitants of all four districts lived their perfectly balanced life before the strangest of events took place. What made it even stranger was that it was not accompanied with bangs, flashes or anything traditional – it took place almost silently.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   It began in the eastern district. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>  “Aww, what happened?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Mandy looked up to see a man she had never seen before. There are people who seem kind from the very beginning, and usually you sense something off about them, but this one didn’t seem to be hiding any cruel intentions. His smile was sympathetic and did not hide any gloating, and his blue eyes behind round glasses showed genuine worry.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It’s okay, mister, just a bruise,” Mandy assured, attempting to stand up, but her left leg did not obey her for some reason, hanging like a limb of a ragdoll. The man frowned:</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It doesn’t look like a bruise. Let me see, okay?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   His hands were warm while they were gently touching her ankle. While he was doing so, Mandy examined him. Fluffy dark hair, straight nose, long eyelashes… Blue polo shirt, light brown pants, grey cardigan around the shoulders. Hundreds and thousands of such people inhabited the city.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It seems to be a dislocation. Thank goodness no bones are broken,” the man summed up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “What is it?” Mandy asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It means that one of your leg bones is not joint with the other one, and therefore you can’t move it. But I can help you put it back. Not gonna lie: it will hurt.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Okay,” Mandy reluctantly agreed. And then the man’s palms glowed. They emitted pale blue light which was warmer than his fingers, but not burning. Sudden pain pierced through the girl’s knee, having made her gasp, but then it began to fade, as well as the light from the man’s hands.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It may ache for a while, but it will eventually calm down,” the man said and winked at her. “Right then, now go home. And no more falling from the trees, hm?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   He began to walk away, and Mandy finally saw him completely. How could she have missed? The man had wings! They were not too large, only almost twice as long as his cardigan, and their primary color was indigo, but close to their edges, where the primary feathers were, they changed to cyan. In addition, there was a halo above his head. Nothing special, just a small glowing ring of the same pale sapphire shade with the light emitted from his palms. </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>   “No way!” one of the children exclaimed, having made his mother gently squeeze his shoulder to calm him down. “That man was an angel?”</p>
<p>   “Indeed,” the Host approved. The tune, which had turned lively by that moment, paused for a moment. “But aren’t the children interested why he arrived to the city? Please allow the Host to continue.”</p>
<p>   The pianist went on playing, this time a quick tune which immediately made the present imagine a bustling street.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   <em>The western district became even noisier, as it always did when the nightfall was close. As usual, it was about to change into a whirlwind of colors, but tonight a dark spot was mixed in it. Nobody spotted where this man came from. He simply appeared. And immediately began attracting the eyes of most present – some even forgot where they were going when they saw him. He was quite young, almost a teenager, dressed in a simple purple sweatshirt with lighter strokes and narrow black jeans and barefooted. And he also had an enormous span of wings – purple with black shades, which were half-hanging down and brushing the ground under him. The halo was there as well. It was black and seemed to be made of ink or smoke, for it let small clouds out from time to time, like a tiny fire. Frankly, it fitted his face – pale, with huge shades under the purple eyes and half-hidden under bangs dyed in vinous.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>   He was not paying any attention to shop windows, attractions or passers-by, even those who gaped at him – just walking and walking and walking, paying no heed to his wings which quickly got covered in street dust and to his feet, even when stepping on sharper patches of the road.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Hey, wait, I know you!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The man stopped in front of a couple, both members of which were loaded with shop bags, but his frown did not go away, it got even stronger.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Yeah, I do,” the male side of the couple stated. “You’re that very Patton!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “WHAT?!” the man roared, his wings spreading out (feathers flew to all sides). “I don’t look like him at all! I’m Virgil!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The female side of the couple raised her hands in a gesture of peace:</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “There’s no need to get so angry, kid. We didn’t mean to offend you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Lucky you, then,” Virgil shot out and walked on. But he was not left alone: a bit later one of the passers-by pushed him in the shoulder.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Why are you so serious? Come on, have a bit of fun! Stop being such a gruesome sight!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Virgil stopped again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I believe the gruesome sight will come later,” he said, this time almost indifferently, but his halo began emitting black puffs more intensively. “Look at yourselves. Dressed all fancy, tasty food and drinks bubbling inside, eyes are delighted, and only laughing and no sense. And I’ve got things to do, if you wish. So please leave me alone.”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   “That Virgil angel is so sad. Why?” another child asked. No wonder: when the Host had reached the description of the new character, the music became deeper and slower.</p>
<p>   “Wouldn’t anybody feel lonesome when nobody listens?” the Host asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   <em>The southern district’s calmness was disturbed too. It happened early in the morning, when a group of local actors was leading to the street theater to rehearse. The stage was already occupied, and at first the actors thought it was a giant bird, but upon closer look it appeared to be a man possessing a pair of incredibly large wings. Such ones could’ve been possessed by a phoenix, for their colors changed from red and orange at the top to yellow and brilliant white at the edges, and they appeared to reflect the light, creating some kind of shining around him. The man was dressed in a strange outfit, resembling that of a medieval prince, complete with a red sash across his torso. Moreover, the halo above his head was of mild golden color and had spikes making it look like a crown.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>   The man was too deep in his own world to notice that he was not on his own anymore: he seemed to be rehearsing some kind of monologue, but he was speaking so frantically that not a single word could be heard well. He was almost dancing all over the stage until his monologue was over. Then he looked at the dumbfounded actors and asked:</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “What do you think? Did I overdo the drama?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I didn’t think that our theater was so good that it attracted heavenly beings,” one of the actors said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Heavenly!” The winged man laughed, and the actors realized that at least one part of him was not traditionally heavenly – his eyes. They were bright red, but not like those of vampires or demons. They were… natural in his case. They fitted him. “I could be heavenly if the place where I came from could be counted as heaven…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “What are you doing here?” someone else asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Looking for a job,” the man replied. “Pretty stage you have here. Perhaps your troop wouldn’t mind one more great actor, eh?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   He folded his wings and lowered them, so now they looked merely as the tails of his tunic. Then he performed two or three ballet-like twirls to show that nobody would ever recognize them when they were hidden.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The actors didn’t know why, but by the evening their troop gained one more member. Moreover, some of them did not even remember that this member was unlike them. Some did have a faint sense of recognition when they saw the tails of his tunic flying, but it quickly was forgotten.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>   The tune sounding all this time (a classic-like dramatic dance one) softened.</p>
<p>   “Did he hypnotize them?” a girl asked. “Maybe he’s evil.”</p>
<p>   “The Host would like to think he charmed them,” the Host replied. “One thing for sure: his intentions were not evil. Hem-hem…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>   The northern district seemed perfectly fine – no invasions from any directions. Life went on as it always does. But some days later it appeared that it gained its own protector – or curse? – as well.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   It happened during the repair works of one of the buildings. The task was renewing the plasterworks under the roof, for they had been crumbling for a long time. And the process went on until a chunk of the wall suddenly detached from the wall and went falling down. It would’ve fallen onto the head of one of the workers at the lower level – if he hadn’t found himself in the grasp of a stranger who hadn’t been there a moment ago.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Next time wear a helmet,” the stranger hissed, standing up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “How did you?..” the worker stuttered and blinked upon the sight of the azure halo above the stranger’s head. Well, it was more of an atom symbol consisting of two rings and a floating light. “Wait a second… I’ve heard the news. You’re one of them, aren’t you?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Affirmative,” the stranger replied, fully unfolding his wings. They must’ve been the product of technology, for their bases were metal rods and rotary joints, from which their main surfaces began – seemingly plastic or glass, for they were see-through and with blue patterns like those you see on computer chips. They also were incredibly flexible, for when the stranger tucked them, they became almost invisible when looking from the front. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   He picked the chunk up and soared right to the place where it had fallen from.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “The gravity center is dislocated,” he informed, placing it onto the highest level of the scaffold. “Consider it. And mind performing the repair works on time, not when it is urgently required.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “If you are so clever, why don’t you use your magic to repair it?” another worker asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I’ve got other things to do.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>   “Maybe other angels created him,” another girl supposed. “I mean, he’s a robot, right?”</p>
<p>   “Not completely,” the Host objected. The piano tune during this part had reminded of old towns, but when it had come to the part about the fourth angel it had gained futuristic tone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   <em>The four angels made their way to the very center of the city. Not at the same time, of course, for most of them stopped along the way. The first one to arrive was Virgil, or, as the locals nicknamed him, the Angel of Fear. He was the one who walked and walked and walked and walked – if he didn’t need to sleep, of course. And when he did, he slept on the roofs, for they were the only spaces secluded from the eternal fun.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>   The second one to arrive was Patton, the Angel of Hope. He came a bit later because he had gotten distracted by children and animals along the way. What to say, they both adored him, for he was able to find common language with almost anybody, especially those who kept certain purity in their hearts. Virgil even gave a lop-sided relaxed smile upon seeing him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The angel with mechanical wings was the third.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Where have you been, Logan?” Virgil asked when he landed onto the roof of one of the tallest buildings.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “My excuses,” Logan, the Angel of Wisdom, replied. “I was distracted by the architectural flaws. The inhabitants of the northern district attempt to save their heritage, particularly the houses, but they forget about maintenance repairs.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Lucky you. Repairing buildings is easier than repairing people,” Virgil sighed. “The western district is hopeless.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “What made Roman stay behind?” Patton asked. “Something bad could’ve happened to him!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>  “Being anxious is my job,” Virgil droned. “He went to the southern district, right? I’ve heard that performing arts are very popular there. Conclusions, Logan?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I suppose he did not forget about our mission,” Logan replied. “But checking would not be extra.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   That very evening Patton went to the southern district to check. The inhabitants of the districts mostly heard about the events of the neighboring districts from the news, so Patton decided to pretend to be a human, which was easy for him. All he had to do was hiding his wings under the cardigan and making his halo invisible.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   And boy, wasn’t Virgil right! Patton didn’t know if he should be angry or overjoyed when he saw Roman, the Angel of Dream, at the largest stage around. Tonight’s show was The City of Dreaming Books, and, of course, Roman was starring. And Roman was clever enough not to show that he saw Patton.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Roman went on speaking – his tone was unusually collected, unlike his loud self. But he could never hold himself from dramatic pauses… or were those? During one of such pauses he slowly blinked. Then turned his head to the left, just a little bit. And then lowered it, again just a little bit. Patton recognized this code. It meant “I hear you, I see you, I’m coming to you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Where have you been, Roman?” Patton asked when the show was over and they two were high in the sky (they left so that no one could see them soaring up).</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I’ve been trying to spot them among the audience,” Roman replied. “Such crowds came! But they’re definitely not in the troop, telling you! And not in the southern district either… or they just don’t like theater.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   All four angels came together and decided that if they could not find what they were searching for separately, they could do it together. So they soared up in the sky – very high, even above the tallest skyscraper, forming a circle and facing the outside. Yes, they were powerful on their own, but together they powers grew, and they were going to make use of it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “We’re late,” Virgil said, pointing in front of him. The clouds have been gathering all day, and now they were concentrating at the northwestern suburbs of the city. “There they are! Hurry up, brothers!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The angels dashed to where they saw the clouds gathering, but it was too late. Those were not clouds. That was a hurricane. Yes, a real and true hurricane.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>   “B-but… Mr. Host… scientists can predict hurricanes coming,” a boy objected. “Weren’t there scientists that could predict it?”</p>
<p>   “Ah, a smart child. The Host likes smart children… It was no ordinary hurricane.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   <em>“There they are!” someone yelled from the ground, having spotted the four winged silhouettes above. People were hiding in basements, knowing that if they did so, they would not be hurt… or rather would try not to be hurt. Panic was about to come everywhere, for the news spread all over the city in moments!</em></p>
<p>
  <em>   The angels paid no attention to what was going on below, focusing on the growing hurricane instead.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It’s not fully formed yet!” Roman yelped. “I’ll get to the eye!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “You will not!” Logan replied (now they all had to scream to hear each other). “The wind speed is too high, it will only beat you up!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Then we need to get there from the top!” Patton supposed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Then allow me.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   And before his brothers could say a word, Virgil was off. Why did he do it? Maybe to prove himself worthy? Or to show his brothers that he could bring everything back to normal?.. Nobody will ever know, but Virgil soared above the clouds and saw where the eye of the storm was. Do you know what it is? It is the center of the hurricane, a windless quiet space. It should have been empty, but it was not.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   A human figure was floating in the very center of the eye. It was a man, barely older than the angels, and lifeless, like a puppet on a lonely string. But that was only on the outside. Virgil could almost see the swarm of tiny creatures swirling around the man’s head, whispering without stopping.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Better off without you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “You can’t fit into any society.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “You’d better think about future.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Everybody guessed that baby can’t be blessed till he finally sees that he’s like all the rest…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Virgil felt sick, but approached to the man and grabbed him by the shoulders.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Don’t try to force them out. It will only make it worse. Breathe.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The man obeyed, although it was barely noticeable.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Breathe in,” Virgil went on, tapping on the man’s shoulder to catch the needed rhythm. “Hold your breath. Release. Once more… Yes.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The voices died down, but remained there, and the man’s eyes cracked open. It didn’t look like he was able to recognize anything around him or to realize what was going on – he simply stared at Virgil, or more like through Virgil.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Let’s get out of here. Help me.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Both started soaring up ever so slowly, but going quicker was dangerous: the quiet little voices could take over again. Virgil had heard them more than once or twice. They were those of Guilt, although they claimed to come from Common Sense. The most harmful and most shameful things disguised as ‘bitter truths’. They were plaguing the man’s mind.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   However, as they were ascending, the voices became quieter until they were gone. It took place only when they were above the clouds, and by that time the hurricane had already dissolved because its core was taken away.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Patton, Logan and Roman rushed to help their brother as soon as they saw him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I can still hear those little voices,” Patton confessed. “Were those?..”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Yes,” Virgil nodded. “I got him to concentrate on his breathing as the most important process. It helps with physical pain, so why can’t it help with mental?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Even I couldn’t have put it better,” Logan stated, and it was the best praise one could heard from him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The man completely woke up and was looking from one angel to another in awe.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Am I dead?” he asked. “All I remember were those… those who said I’ve forgotten the past and therefore I can’t…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “It’s all over,” Virgil interrupted. “Such things take place when you’re blamed for everything and nothing. I’ve heard.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “H-how?” the man stuttered.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “You had those little voices in your head. Usually no one but you can hear them, but they took over you, and I heard them. The northerners blamed you for trying to live today and, as they thought, with no remembrance of the past. The westerners blamed you because you spent less time having fun than them. The southerners blamed you for being too worried while rehearsing and for being not a good actor – for them. The easterners blamed you for being too friendly.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “But actually it’s similar to blaming a hedgehog for being prickly or blaming a fox for being red,” Patton caught up. “They blamed you for being… you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “However, searching for you was similar to searching for a metaphorical needle in a haystack,” Logan added. “I guess this is because you were doing your best to blend in.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Your own thoughts and emotions were so suppressed that they finally broke the dam… and make you the eye of the storm,” Roman finished.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “St-storm? B-but… no way…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Trust us, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Patton assured. “What’s your name, kiddo?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Thomas. Thomas Sanders.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “You will return home, but remember: if you hear anybody talk about Hurricane Thomas, pay no heed to it,” Logan warned. “Hurricanes are named not just so. People always know the name of the one who is the eye of the storm, but they have no idea who exactly it is and what caused him or her to become a natural disaster.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Wait, guys… my head’s killing me because of you…” Thomas massaged his temples.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   The angels waited until he was ready to go on.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I’ve seen at least one person who does their best to be one with society, but is not too successful,” Roman informed. “Trust me, you will know who it is when you see them. Those who survive becoming eyes of hurricanes gain the ability to see the outcasts. Silver lining of your cloud, so to say.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   For some minutes they were sitting on the roof, watching the clouds dissolve.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I wonder if the inhabitants of this city have ever looked up at the stars,” Logan sighed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “But you’re the one able not only to look up, but see the stars as well even when it’s cloudy, Thomas. You know that they’re there, even though someone says that there is no such thing as stars,” Virgil mused.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “I guess it’s time to go, brothers of mine.” Roman stood up and unfolded his wings. The other three repeated his motion.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “So, you all are leaving now?” Thomas asked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “Yes, we do. One never knows where else a hurricane may occur,” Virgil replied.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “But it is alright. You shouldn’t feel guilty for anything,” Logan reminded.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “And to make sure of it we are going to give you something.” Roman pulled a long feather out of his wing – the shiniest, of the purest colors (being red at the base, it changed to orange and white at its tip) and the tidiest one – and placed it behind Thomas’s right ear, stem pointing back. “A little bit of determination from me. May you always see the clearest path to your dream.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “May you always listen to your heart when in doubt.” Patton added his own feather, the one of gradient shades of blue.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “My gift will not be as grandiose as theirs.” Before joining his brothers, Virgil held his feather – deep purple one with black edges and stem – between his forefinger and thumb. “At the first sight you might think that it’s fear, but indeed it is caution. May you stay safe whatever happens.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   Logan did not have any feathers, so he materialized one. It was of indigo color with thin black stripes and a bit of metal sheen, just like that of the bases of his wings.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   “May you take decisions wisely.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>   All four feathers twitched a little bit – now they reminded of a laurel garland. Then they turned invisible, but remained there, and Thomas kept the feeling of being guided by the four beings from somewhere else even though he did not realize it. But sometimes, no matter where he was, he spotted a glimpse of Roman’s cheeky face, or Logan’s concentrated one, or Patton’s gleeful face, or Virgil’s sulky one. They stayed, even though they left.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>   “But what if they got tired?” someone asked. “You said they need to sleep. What if something happens when they sleep?”</p>
<p>   “The Host is certain they will find a way to fix it. They did fix Hurricane Thomas, didn’t they?”</p>
<p>   It had been expected that questions will be asked after the story was over, but even the Host had not considered there was going to be so many. He did his best to behave calmly and give the best answers… well, those he considered to be the best, even when they threatened to be too personal.</p>
<p>   “Are you truly blind, Mr. Host?”</p>
<p>   “The Host is truly blind, and he would like not to discuss it.”</p>
<p>   “Sorry. My mama said you wear a blindfold to wear that… that tiara. It also has an eye on it.”</p>
<p>   “Tell her she is not right. The Host wears that tiara because he likes it.”</p>
<p>   “And you speak all funny.”</p>
<p>   “The Host would not like to discuss that as well.”</p>
<p>   “Why was the fourth angel, V, so dark? And so sad too.”</p>
<p>   “First of all, his name was not V, it was Virgil. And what did he give to Thomas? A bit of caution to keep safe. Isn’t being cautious a good thing? Being dark does not mean being evil. Besides, Virgil had a halo, not horns.”</p>
<p>   “Horns… But only demons have horns.”</p>
<p>   “That’s right. But the Host will tell about them next time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   “Wow, that was a great idea with hiding gems at the plain sight!” Patton fixed his belt so that his gem (now playing the role of the buckle) would not look suspicious by sticking out too much. “You should’ve seen those kids trying to catch me!”</p>
<p>   “Eesh,” Virgil replied, attempting to scratch on his back. “Don’t you try to tell me that maintaining this new form was easy. My back is still itching. I almost… I almost crashed down in the end!”</p>
<p>   “But you can’t deny that the effect was astounding!” Roman exclaimed, going into his drama king mode. “It was worth coping with two extra appendages!”</p>
<p>   “Regretting that you couldn’t let them come closer, Roman?” Patton teased. “Only through the glass, heehee!”</p>
<p>   Roman was going to reply, but was interfered by Marvin, who changed to his Gem form with relief right after entering.</p>
<p>   “There won’t be enough soda in the world to keep me awake if it goes on like that,” he complained. “Giving you four unique wings and concentrating on the tune tone at the same time is NOT an easy thing, Quads!”</p>
<p>   “We did our best to maintain them with our own powers,” Patton apologized. “Isn’t anybody else able to play the piano?”</p>
<p>   “It is not about playing the piano. I had to be present somewhere around and stay unnoticed. Just like our gems, hiding in plain sight.” Marvin tapped on his gem, located in the very middle of his bowtie.</p>
<p>   “But it still got you exhausted. Next time we’ll think of something else,” Patton promised.</p>
<p>   Marvin gave him a tired smile:</p>
<p>   “That’s very sweet of you.”</p>
<p>   Logan, who was calculating something on his hologram screen all this time, hid it and summed up:</p>
<p>   “The indexes of interest were above average. I guess this is going to turn into metaphorical mini-series of events.”</p>
<p>   “Heyyyy, why mini?” Roman whined, elbowing his brother.</p>
<p>   “I agree, it could be a fully fledged series!” Patton caught up.</p>
<p>   “I’m trying to be realistic, brothers of mine,” Logan cut off. “The positive chances are quite high, but there are still negative ones.”</p>
<p>   “The Host could have told Logan his opinion, but he does not want to mess up with his methods.”</p>
<p>   “It’s my trick: showing up like a ghost,” Virgil put in. “I know you’re omniscient, so PLEASE tell me when our Diamond is going to arrive to get us home.”</p>
<p>   “One thing for sure: he is going to arrive sooner than the hurricane.”</p>
<p>   “What hurricane?”</p>
<p>   “Has Virgil heard of a saying that one beat of a butterfly’s wing causes a hurricane on the other end of the world?”</p>
<p>   “You’re even more hopeless than me,” Virgil almost laughed. “But seriously?”</p>
<p>   Someone knocked on the door, and all six Gems instinctively froze.</p>
<p>   Knock… knock, knock… knock. Knock… knock-knock.</p>
<p>   “The Host told you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Based on Based on Gem YouTuber AU and Angel AU by https://www.deviantart.com/sifferko<br/>Picture references to Angel Sides:<br/>- Patton: fav.me/ddkr76g<br/>- Virgil: fav.me/ddkraai<br/>- Roman: fav.me/ddkr8qr<br/>- Logan: fav.me/ddkr66q</p>
<p>In-text references:<br/>1) Roman's phrase "Did I overdo the drama?" is a reference to his phrase in Learning New Things about Ourselves when he turned into a puppet ("Did I overdo the chin?").<br/>2) Logan's phrase "Affirmative" is a reference to robotic dog K-9 from Doctor Who (it was his standard positive reply).<br/>3) Roman is starring in the adaptation of Walter Moers's The City of Dreaming Books.<br/>4) One of Thomas's 'quiet little voices' states that 'everybody guessed that baby can't be blessed till he finally sees that he's like all the rest' (a reference to Stephen King's Carrie; this phrase was written in the main character's diary several times).<br/>5) The knocking on the door in the end means CD (Cognac Diamond) in Morse code (-.-. -..).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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